It's Been A Long, Long Life
by Anjirika
Summary: Spoilers for Season 4, Episode 10 "The Blood Line" Jack and Gwen come face to face with the Blessing and each sees what they need to see. For Gwen, it's what's in her heart, for Jack, it's how to stop and save the world.


DISCLAIMER: The characters of Torchwood and the events of Miracle Day do not belong to me. They belong to Russell T. Davies, BBC & Starz. I am merely borrowing them for a minute and I'm not getting any financial reward.

**It's Been A Long, Long Life **

Gwen Cooper almost didn't believe their luck. They had come to the source of the so-called 'miracle' they had found The Blessing. It was a hole in the world, a sentient hole in the world, which showed you what, you needed to know most. For Oswald Danes it was the knowledge that his life wasn't worth anything, and driven to madness by what he had seen, Oswald had jumped into the centre of the world. Gwen had no idea what Jack had seen, but whatever it was it wasn't bad enough to make him want to kill himself, and being mortal now, it would have been quite easy for him to do so.

Gwen looked into the centre of the Blessing and saw what her heart most desired — and she was surprised that it hadn't been Rhys. Gwen knew deep down in her heart that she loved Rhys with all her being, but the Blessing also showed her how she was magnetically drawn to Jack. She always had been. Ever since their first accidental meeting and all through those cases with Torchwood Gwen had been drawn to Jack.

Gwen turned to Jack to tell him, once and for all how she really felt about him, and she saw to her utmost horror that he was pointing a gun to his head. "Jack," she began warily as she stepped back from the Blessing to look at him. "What are you doing?"

"Doing what needs to be done Gwen."

"No Jack," she countered. "You don't need to do something stupid."

"I'm going to save the world," he answered.

"By doing what? Killing yourself?" Gwen asked, eyes wide.

Jack nodded. "It's the only way."

Gwen just stared there for a moment, thinking that he was joking but then she realized with a sinking heart that he wasn't joking. "Jack—" she choked out. "You can't."

"Got no choice," he replied, in a broken whisper.

"Course you do."

"I don't," he insisted. "The families, they brought my blood here. They asked the Blessing to extend my so called immortality onto the rest of the world and it worked. I started this, and I'm the only one that can stop it."

"Now Jack," Gwen began. "Just give me the gun."

"I don't want you to see this Gwen."

"Jack please," she begged. "Don't do this."

"Gwen, go."

"I need you Jack," she sobbed. "I need you."

"You don't need me. You've got Rhys, and Anwen and your Mum."

"Yeah but I need you…" Gwen insisted as she took a step forward. "The Blessing might have shown you how to stop it, but it showed me what I want most in the world and what I want Jack… and I guess it's about bloody time that I admit it but I want you."

Jack lowered the gun, ever so slightly, and Gwen knew that she was getting through to him. "Jack… I love you. I think I always have. I can't do this without you. When you left that last time… it nearly killed me. Don't do this to me. Please."

Jack stepped forward and gave Gwen a soul-searing kiss. "I'm sorry Gwen," he apologized. "It's been a long long life and I wish… I wish that I could live a little bit longer, for you."

…

With the miracle over, all the category ones and category twos that could not be saved died, including Rex. Ether and Gwen joined together for a funeral for the men that they both loved and then Gwen returned to Wales where her mother, baby and husband were waiting.

"Oh Gwen," he apologized the moment that he saw her. "I'm so sorry."

Gwen nodded, determined to never tell Rhys what she had learned, after all she still loved him with all her heart. "Thanks Rhys, now… lets go home."

And so, Gwen Cooper and Rhys Williams returned to their home in Cardiff to live a long, long life… together.

_Author's Note: Bollux that was depressing to write. And it's not what I WANT to happen on the season / series finale of Torchwood, but it's what I THINK will happen. Hopefully Jack will survive… if Jack dies… I'll be super upset. __Guess we'll find out soon. _


End file.
